


Echoing Melody (A Synchronicity AU)

by Umbry2000



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: Ages are Real Wack In This, Alternate Universe, And We Switch Between Those Two FAST, Angst, Awkward phrasings will be the death of me, Brief Mentions of Blood, Character Death, Death here death there death everywhere, Discrimination, Dragons, Emil and Marta appear only for the ending so I'm not tagging them, F/M, Gen, Honestly Whiplash, Hopeful Ending, I'M SORRY THAT PRESEA DOESN'T WIELD AN AXE, I'm Sorry, Imprisonment, Indiscriminately killing off characters like its final destination, It's Mostly Depressing but has Some Fluff, Kagamine's 13th Anniversary, Lore everywhere, Magic, Once again checked by Grammarly, Prolonged Lifespans, Random mention of mushrooms, Roleswap, Sacrifices, Self-Sacrifice, Song Cycle: Synchronicity (Vocaloid), Songs, Synchronicity AU, The Magic Rules are Honestly Really Inconsistent, There is so much crying in this, This Entire Fic is Wack I just Ran with my ideas, Trauma, Why did I do this anyway?, hopefully not incredibly bad, hopefully this doesn't bore you to death, some violence, some weird dynamics, song magic, summaries are hard, this has so many tags, this is really long, why is everyone crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 19,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28151211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umbry2000/pseuds/Umbry2000
Summary: Long ago, a war was waged between dragons that ended in the banishment of those that chose to oppress humanity. Or so the story goes. In the current age, humanity has enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity and celebrate the blessings accorded to them by holding a yearly festival. At the same time, they protect their happiness fiercely by condemning those who are part-dragon. Why? For that is how things have always been. And to question is to run afoul of those with power.Oppressed, those who are part dragon can do nothing but live in constant fear, hiding in the shadows of society. If their identities were ever to be unearthed, they would be dragged off to an experimental facility, never to return. Even most Dragon-bloods, scattered and alone, do not know of the truth: the Dragon chained to the Earth and their fate to seal it with song.A heavily Synchronicity inspired AU released to celebrate the Kagamines' 13th Anniversary!
Relationships: Anna/Kratos Aurion, Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving, Genis Sage & Raine Sage, Kratos Aurion & Lloyd Irving, Kratos Aurion & Martel Yggdrasill, Martel Yggdrasill & Mithos Yggdrasill, Presea Combatir & Alicia Combatir, Seles Wilder & Zelos Wilder, Yuan Ka-Fai/Martel Yggdrasill
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Released to coincide with the Kagamines' 13th Anniversary! 誕生日おめでとう二人とも！！！This is an AU heavily inspired by the Synchronicity song series, consisting of [Searching for You in the Sky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQvXLTh093M), [Paradise of Light and Shadow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh5LyOgS_0E) and [Requiem of the Endless World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A83q5bQquJc), produced by my favourite producer [Hitoshizuku x Yama△](https://www.youtube.com/c/yamashizuku/featured). I found that the plot fit TOS really well! BUT DON'T WATCH IT BEFORE YOU READ THIS IT'S A _**GIANT**_ SPOILER! It also takes lore inspiration from Fire Emblem, mainly the idea of dragons which can transform into humans and dragons going insane from their own power. Have fun with all the lore and also all the death :)
> 
> This jumps between perspectives and time periods wildly (also I'm sorry if the summary is misleading I'm bad at writing them?). Its mainly told through the eyes of Martel, Colette and Lloyd (sorry Zelos you are a side character deal with it). There's a lot of missing characters and characters who appear only briefly because I couldn't squeeze them into this AU :(
> 
> This also has some musical references even though I know zilch about music. So forgive any misconceptions?
> 
> Happy reading! It's a very long fic though and I hope it isn't terrible :>

“Dragons used to exist, you know,” Presea whispered dramatically, watching Alicia’s eyes peek at her from under the blanket. Her mischievous little sister refused to go to sleep, so the least Presea could do was entertain Alicia while Father met their guests in the drawing-room. It wouldn’t do for him to be interrupted.

“Dragons?” Her sister asked as she poked her head of pink hair out of the blanket, blue eyes peering up at Presea. “Do you mean Dragon-bloods? Everyone knows about them! We’re supposed to capture them because they use their magic to hurt others and are really scary and dangerous. That’s the first thing they teach us in school. That’s boring!”

“No, silly, actual dragons.” Presea ignored the way her stomach twisted at her younger sister’s words. “They’re completely different from Dragon-bloods. Like the ones they show in picture books?” 

“Those huge, scaly beasts?”

“Yes, those.” Presea poked her sister’s forehead, making Alicia break out in giggles. “They were majestic and incredibly powerful. They could take on a form similar to ours and wielded magic as well, especially through song.”

“So, where are they now? I don’t know of any dragons. Do you, Presea?” Alicia asked eagerly, voice growing in volume as she fully crawled out of the blanket to sit in front Presea. Alicia was bouncing up and down in excitement, staring at Presea in rapt attention.

Presea shook her head and raised her finger to her lips, shushing her sister. “Not so loud, Alicia. Father has guests over.” 

Alicia clapped her hands over her mouth, nodding. “Sorry… But do you? I want to know, Presea!”

“No I don’t, silly. Dragons haven’t been seen in this world in centuries.”

“But why?” Alicia pouted, hand reaching out to tug on Presea’s sleeve. 

“Well, according to the legends, some dragons saw themselves as above humanity and were determined to keep humanity weak and shackled. The dragons who thought otherwise, or the good dragons, fought against the bad ones and eventually sealed them away in the sky. Word has it that they’re still up there, you know.” Presea pointed towards the ceiling, above which lay the beautiful night sky, overlaid with twinkling stars. A smile grew on Presea’s face as she watched her sister’s infectious excitement. 

Alicia’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s so cool. But what about the good dragons? Where are they now?”

“Oh, them? Some say they still walk among us, continuing to bring about this prosperity that humankind has had for so long.”

“Oh, wow! Then we have to thank them somehow, right?”

“Mmm,” Presea affirmed, hugging her little sister. “That’s why we hold the yearly festival to celebrate their blessing, as well as... Capture the Dragon-bloods, who helped the bad dragons.” 

Presea didn't quite like mentioning that part of the legend. It never made sense to her how dragons could be such a celebrated part of their culture while those who were part-dragon were shunned. How was it that dragons were pure while dragon-bloods were tainted? But Father had always responded to her questions with "That's just how it is", and seemed angry whenever she brought the issue up again. Presea had quickly learned that asking that question was... dangerous. It was a topic best left untouched.

“And there’s no way to tell who the good dragons are?” Alicia asked, burying herself further into the embrace.

“You know how the royal family wields magic for our good? They’re descended from the good dragons, so that must mean any that remained would have magic as well. Good magic, that is.”

“Good magic…” Alicia whispered in awe. “Like that time the King’s Guard made fireworks for us children to see?”

“Yes, like that.” Presea mussed her little sister’s hair, eliciting another fit of giggles from Alicia. “Now go to sleep, Alicia. There’s a banquet at the palace tomorrow, and Father’s bringing both of us along.”

“Ok,” Alicia answers, dutifully snuggling down into her bed. “Promise to tell me more about the dragons next time?”

“Of course, little flower. Have a good night’s sleep.” Presea bent down to kiss her sister’s forehead before leaving the room. Maybe she could assist Father in the drawing-room? Presea would like it if Father would look less stressed all the time…

Alicia watched the door to the room close, Presea’s footsteps fading down the hallway. Knowing that her sister had left, Alicia unfolded her hand and concentrated, causing a tiny flicker of flame to burst to life over it.

“Good magic, like this...?”

* * *

Martel sat at the foot of the stone steps, staring at the patch of sunlight and greenery she could see through the mouth of the cave. This was the same perch she had always taken throughout the thousands upon thousands of days that she had remained here. Hidden from the sight of whichever poor soul had chosen or been forced to come, and far enough away from the main cavern that she could avoid hearing the carnage that she was endorsing. 

Today, Martel sat so still that she as might well be made of the same stone as her surroundings: slowly wasting away but unable to die. Her brother’s cries had gotten louder and more erratic; to the point that she could hear them even here. Martel knew what it meant: the life of the latest sacrifice would soon be coming to an end.

Martel stood on shaky legs, turning to face the darkness that led deeper into the cave. It was time to make the trek in preparation for the burial that she would have to perform. If those with dragon blood in their veins were cursed to sacrifice their lives here alone, the least she could do was send them off to the next world with the proper rites.

It was the only thing Martel could do. 

With her staff, Martel mused, she must look like the grim reaper. That was something Yuan would have said, were he still alive. 

The closer Martel got to the inner cavern, the stronger the smell of blood and rot became. Martel had never been squeamish: in truth, what she saw here was nothing compared to the war. Still, it made her feel far sicker than any scene she had seen in the war. These were innocents who only wished to live their lives; many of them children who had done nothing to deserve this. 

Mithos’ sunny smile flashed in her mind, and she resisted the urge to throw up.

The sudden sharp, wrenching pain in her heart sent Martel to her knees at the lip of the inner cavern, gasping for air. It was a sensation she hadn’t felt since the beginning of this hell when almost all that she had loved had been taken from her. 

The final intact bond over Martel’s heart had shattered. There had once been three, and now there were none. And the final remnants of her heart went with it.

Those days that had been fraught with worry and anxiety; where they had to fight for their voices to be heard and believed; where they had experienced setback after setback - they had been the happiest days of her life. She had been free - free from her Father’s influence and the desires of her people - free from the guilt of abandoning that which she once was.

Martel stared now, through the mask that hid her identity and bound her here, at her shaking hands, knowing that the final untouched remnant of those days was dead now.

Tears slid down her face, foreign to her after her thousands of years spent here, heart locked away as her hands which had once worked so desperately to save this world now drained the life out of those who had the strength to try to fight against the will of the world. She remembered the child she had taken in and raised almost like her own; the husband who had finally convinced her to walk a path of her own; and her brother - 

Her sweet little brother, who had forfeited his birthright, unwilling to leave her to walk alone. And in return, he had suffered the worst fate of them all. 

Martel raised her head just as the final notes of the song faded into silence. She sighed, swallowing her sorrow down and finally making her way into the cavern. She had a duty that she must perform, no matter how she felt. 

A familiar sight greeted Martel. Her brother, wings folded close to his body, his maw open to show rows upon rows of fangs. The crumpled body of a child on the ground, bloodstains all around them. Cruel and desolate; yet this was what brought hope to the rest of the world; bright and free outside the world of this cave. 

It’s habit for Martel to put up a Barrier as she approached the child, which holds strong even as Mithos brought down a claw. It brought back happier memories of the two of them sparring on the practice fields: no matter how powerful Mithos’ spells had been, they could never break through her Barriers. Just another thing she had teased Mithos on, and which Mithos had gotten her back on.

“Shush, Mithos. It’s time to let me work.” Martel knelt next to the child, placing a hand on his forehead to ease his pain. If he had to die, he would not die alone, and he would not die in pain. That was the least that Martel could do. 

The child before her couldn’t be older than 12, surely. His clothes were torn and matted with blood, tired blue eyes struggling to stay open and blind to the world around him. Martel began to hum her Mother’s lullaby, knowing that it would both soothe the child before her and keep Mithos at bay.

Martel liked to believe that Mithos still recognised the lullaby that Mother had sung to him when he was nothing more than a shy fledgeling. Surely, there was still something left of her brother in the savage dragon who watched her warily now. Deep down, Martel knew better. The lullaby was naturally calming, an ancient form of sleep magic that could keep even a berserk dragon at bay for a little while. 

Still, Martel couldn’t do the right thing. She couldn’t drive this staff in her hands through her brother’s neck and kill him. 

“Go to sleep now, little one,” Martel whispered, running a hand through the child’s long, wild silver hair. “You have performed your duty wonderfully. You can rest now.” Martel noted the lack of horns. This little one was only a quarter-dragon, who didn’t have magic strong enough to sustain him further. 

“Sis...?” The little one choked out, reaching for her hand. 

Martel took it, eyes seeing another child from the past: one with auburn hair and russet eyes who had taken her hand and trusted her when she’d told him she would protect him.

All that followed her was a string of broken promises. 

“Yes, little one. It’s alright now. I promise.”

Martel held his hand and watched him cough one final time before his body went still. Martel sighed, gently cradling his body and standing. There would soon be another unmarked grave, uncharacteristic and unable to be differentiated from the rest. 

She never learned their names. It was simply easier that way. Easier for her to forget the hundreds of Dragon-bloods which had been sacrificed, just like the humans would forget that the little one in her arms had ever walked among them. Another faceless sacrifice to prolong the prosperity of humankind. 

This little one had sung about a sister’s love. Martel hummed the tunes to herself as she vanished into the darkness, reminiscing about sunny valleys and the colour of wildflowers, blooming in spring under the beautiful blue sky.

* * *

_“Father!”_

“What is it, Martel?” The King answered, annoyed, barely sparing his daughter a glance. “I have an audience in ten minutes.”

Martel gritted her teeth, tempering down the magic arising in her veins. She could not show anything other than strength, or she would fail to accomplish her objective. That was how things worked in the Royal Court of Drakengard.

“Do you truly believe that the best path is to rain down our judgement upon humanity?”

“How many times do I have to tell you, my daughter?” The King sneered, gesturing at the majestic stone slab that had always sat above the throne. Martel knew every word on it. After all, she had read it through on countless occasions over her 2000 years of existence: sitting in the throne room with Mother when she had been a fledgeling; bringing Mithos here, his hand tightly in hers; being forced to stand in this very spot as Father had shown her who she was to marry. “The Gods decreed it this way, that we are to restore humanity to their primitive roots every 5000 years. And we are the descendants of the Gods, bound by our blood to carry out their will.”

“Father! Surely you can see this as what it is! There _were_ no Gods!” Martel cried out desperately, hands curled into fists by her sides. “That was nothing but our ancestors, fueled by their egos to try and control humanity! We are not Gods, and we do not have the right to try and act like we are! We have no right to declare ourselves as greater than humans, to try and dictate their lives!”

Her father’s slitted eyes narrowed dangerously as he stood. “I know you’ve been spending time with that boy from the backwards Merius tribe, Martel. Wouldn’t it be… unfortunate if Xander found out right before your union that his beloved fiancée was in love with someone else? I’ve heard he has the most fearsome temper.” 

Martel’s breath caught as she stumbled back, shaking. Surely even Father wouldn’t do this. He was terrible, that was for sure. He had never treated her as anything more than a pawn to marry away for power, had never shown her brother genuine love, and had never shown Mother kindness. But he had never before threatened her life. 

“This is your final warning, Martel. Step out of line one more time, and I will not be responsible for the consequences,” he warned. “Now get out. I’m tired of looking at you.”

“Yes, Father.” She answered curtly.

Martel had to restrain herself from running at full speed away from the throne room. It’s a room that has starred within her nightmares numerous times; a representation of everything that she hated about their culture.

The moment Martel was free, she morphed, scales breaking out over her skin as she took to the sky. She flies without a destination in mind, letting the wind ripple through her wings and calm her down. 

Martel reopened her eyes and found herself in the same meadow that Mother had loved to bring her and Mithos to. Back when she was still alive. 

Martel was flat on her back, once again in humanoid form, staring up at the wide blue sky. She turned her head to see the wildflowers swaying in the wind beside her. Mother had said that they reminded her of the boy she had once loved, free and wild-spirited; before she had been forced into marriage. 

Martel sat up, picking a single wildflower. She looked back up into the sky and watched other dragons fly by as she began to pick the petals off, one by one. 

Outside of Drakengard, they couldn’t take on their dragon form for too long before their power overwhelmed them. A dragon’s magic in its purest form, without Drakengard’s unique properties to dampen them, would drive a dragon insane. Forever trapped in their bestial form, slowly losing themselves until there was nothing left. That must have been found out after the two races made contact. 

Her father claimed that this showed how much power they wielded. Martel simply thought that it was a flaw. A flaw, for no one was perfect, least of all dragons. 

Martel watched the petals fly away in the wind, frustration and shame bringing tears to her eyes. No one else seemed to understand that they were no different from humanity. There was no reason to mock humanity’s small steps and stunt their progress. 

What could she even do now? Father had pushed her into a corner.

The little tug over Martel’s heart warned her who was coming up behind her, giving her just a split second to compose herself. 

“Mithos,” she said, rubbing the tears from her eyes as she hid her face from him. 

“What’s wrong, Martel?” Her little brother asked as he dropped to his knees in front of her, pulling her hands away from her face. “Was it Father again?” 

Mithos’ pale blue eyes, slitted like all of the other dragon’s, stared at her in concern. The eyes he had gotten from Mother, a daily reminder of the promise she had made Mother. To protect her baby brother from the cruelty of their race. He had lived only a scant hundred years and already had so much weight pushed onto those thin shoulders. 

He didn’t need to know of the terrible role he was to play in this world’s order. 

“Nothing, Mithos. It’s nothing. Your big sister’s just being silly, that’s all,” she said, smiling weakly through her tears.

“Alright,” Mithos acquiesced, sitting down next to her. Martel was glad that, at least for now, he had chosen not to push. “I haven’t been here in nearly 70 years.”

“Neither have I,” Martel admitted. “Mother used to bring us here nearly every year.”

“She did, huh? I don’t remember her all that well. All I remember is the scent of wildflowers and a sense of safety. And the lullaby she sang to us, of course.”

“Mother…” Where could Martel even begin? “Mother was incredible. Hopeful, kind, resilient… She was perfect, really.” She could never measure up to Mother.

Mithos took her hand, gently bridging their fingers together. “ _You’re_ incredible, Martel. I’m sure Mother would be proud of you, wherever she is now. No matter what you do.” 

“Mithos, what -”

“It's been about a year since our last spar, hasn’t it?” Mithos interrupted her, getting to his feet and offering her his hand. “How about one now?”

Martel contemplated pressing her brother further, but perhaps that had been a throwaway sentence with no real meaning behind it. Best not to get her hopes up.

“Sure,” she answered, grabbing his hand. “But I’m not going to go easy on you, so expect to lose!”

Mithos laughed, flashing a grin. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

* * *

“We can’t stay here, Kratos. I’ve heard from the informants that they’re nearly onto us. The increase in the number of knights in the area is worrying enough, but the King’s declaration - “

“I know, Anna. But you know how difficult it’s going to be, not to imagine the panic. These people have been hunted for so long, and they’ve finally found a place they can be safe. If we tell them the Kingdom’s onto us, it’s not going to go over well.”

“Yes, but we _have_ to do something -”

Lloyd took a deep breath, gathering up the courage to interrupt his parent’s argument. It had been a long time since he’d heard one this heated. Hadn’t the last one taken place before they’d found a new place to settle? It couldn’t be good that they were this stressed again, but that was all the more reason to go through with his plan.

Colette had been through so much. All he wanted was for her to feel safe, happy and wanted. And what better way was there than to celebrate her actual birthday for the first time?

“Mom? Dad?” Lloyd asked, poking his head through the doorway, prepared to witness an absolute warzone. “Is now a good time?” 

It wasn’t as bad as Lloyd had thought it would be. Mom had her hands on the table over an unrolled map, while Dad had his arms crossed. The candle on the table had nearly burned down to a stub, its flickering flame casting wavering shadows on the wall. His parents were engaged in a stand-off, but it was better than the time Dad had accidentally set the house on fire. 

His parents stopped arguing, both turning to look over at him with concern. He didn't often ask for them in the middle of the night. It would be natural for them to assume something was wrong.

“Of course not, Lloyd. We just had something to talk about, that’s all. What’s wrong?” Mom asked, approaching Lloyd.

“Nothing’s wrong!” Lloyd replied cheerily. “Colette’s fourteenth birthday is next week, and I wanted to surprise her. She finally managed to tell us her actual birthday, and so I wanted to make our first celebration amazing!”

Mom laughed. “Oh, is that it? That’s so sweet, Lloyd. What would you like to do for her?”

“A party to cheer her up! We can get everyone in the orphanage involved. I’m sure everyone would be willing to help!”

Dad smiled. “That’s a nice idea, Lloyd. And what else are you going to do? Knowing you, you’d want to make her something of your own.” 

“Oh. I, uh… Already made her present,” Lloyd muttered, lowering his head in embarrassment. 

“So that’s what you were staying up for, then.”

“You knew?” Lloyd yelped, looking at his father in surprise. 

“Of course I knew,” Dad teased, ruffling his hair. “You’re not being very discreet when you leave the candle burning, Lloyd. We could see it through the window.”

Lloyd puffed his cheeks out, indignant. “Dad! I’m too old for this!” He did not want to be ridiculed by the other children. 

Mom hid a small smile behind her hand. “You’re only 14, Lloyd. Besides, you’ll never be too old. I can still remember when Kratos would carry you on your back and you’d tug on his horns…”

“Mom! That’s embarrassing!” Lloyd protested, flushing. “Ugh, I’m going to sleep!” He declared, fleeing from the room before his parents could embarrass him any further. They were the _worst_ sometimes.

“Did you have to remind me of that?” Kratos sighed. “These horns are sensitive. I can feel them aching even now...”

* * *

“Martel?” Yuan asked, concern apparent in his voice when Martel arrived at their designated meeting place. A little hollow carved out of the world, that belonged only to the two of them. “Are you alright?” 

Martel supposed she must look terrible. She felt guilty over what she had come here to do. She couldn’t look him in the eyes and tell him -

“You have blood on your scales,” Martel pointed out in surprise when she finally met Yuan’s eyes. She reached out, using her fingers to gently wipe the ugly red out of the dark blue scales clustered around his eyes. 

“Oh, I… Didn’t notice. It was nothing. Just a scratch.” Now Yuan was the one who wouldn’t meet her eyes. It only made the dawning truth more obvious.

“The Army has started going after your tribe, then?” 

“I -” 

“Tell me the truth, Yuan. Please,” Martel whispered, utterly drained. “I can’t handle any more lies.”

“I didn’t want to worry you.” Yuan took her hands, almost like he was scared she was just going to up and fly away. Well, it’s not like he was that far from the truth. “We’ve always been outcasts. It’s nothing we can’t handle.”

Martel sighed. She had to stop making excuses herself. All that had happened was a result of her own choices and actions. If she wanted to stop hurting those she loved, then she had no choice but to give up her happiness. 

It was good while it had lasted, but she’d been a fool to think it would never end. This was the right choice. The only choice. _Right, Mother…?_

“I won’t be seeing you again after this, Yuan. That’s all I came here to say,” Martel forced out, before immediately turning her back on him. She wasn’t willing to see the heartbreak or the betrayal she knew would be on his face. They had promised each other that they would never leave each other’s side. 

His hand latched onto her wrist, holding her back. “Martel, wait!” 

Martel yanked her arm out of his reach, whirling around. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be! He’s taken too much from me, I can’t let him take you too -” 

Yuan’s fingers wiped away the tears Martel hadn’t even realised were rolling down her face, with a tenderness she should reject but instead leaned into. Love, that she had only ever received from three people in her life: Mother, Mithos, and Yuan. 

“Talk to me, Martel.” And his eyes, so gentle and full of love, implored her to believe. Believe that there might still be hope, somehow. “What’s wrong?”

“Father knows,” she said miserably, hopelessness bleeding into her voice. “He knows, and if I continue, he’s going to kill you. He’s already trying to eliminate your tribe as a warning to me. And the time of judgement is nearly upon us. He won’t listen to me. I can’t stop him.”

Martel took a shaky breath, remembering the only time she’d been through the rift to the human world. Father had brought her there to show her the weaklings that were humans. They had grovelled at her Father’s feet, begging the Gods above for blessings.

Father had laughed at them. Martel had thought them beautiful: in their fleetingness, their burning passion and their immense strength. 

“How many lives will we be responsible for this time? How many families will we tear apart? How long will we trap ourselves in this endless cycle, perpetuating a lie that we are greater than Gods and tormenting others? I don’t - I don’t understand,” she cried. “Are we not the same? We live, we love and we die. And yet we see ourselves as above them. Why?”

Yuan pulled her into his arms, and Martel took comfort in his warmth. “Martel. I came here to tell you that our plan… it’s ready. We have everything we need. It’s time for you to decide what it is you want to do.”

Martel couldn’t believe her ears. She’d been hearing of this elusive “plan” from Yuan for at least the past 500 years and had believed it would never come to fruition. To know that it could be put into action… 

“I won’t decide for you,” Yuan continued, running his hands through her hair in a soothing manner. “If you choose to join us, you will lose your home, your place, possibly everything you have ever known.”

 _Your brother_ , the words echoed unsaid. 

“It will not be easy, and I won’t blame you for deciding to leave me. It is not cowardly to try and protect what you love, Martel. But you have to decide for yourself. You have to make your own decision, for yourself and not for others.”

Martel stared at him in shock, knowing the gravity that her decision would hold. For the Crown Princess to join with the outcasts would be momentous. Yuan was right, however. She would lose her people’s favour, her home -

 _Mithos_ , Martel mourned. Where would her precious little brother stand on this? He had learned nothing but what Father had told him and has never had the opportunity to meet humankind. Would he understand their unique beauty, or would he side with Father?

Martel couldn’t blame Mithos if he chose to do that. Could she, however, afford to lose him? Her baby brother, who could always bring a smile to her face and held the only bond still beating over her heart?

The words Mithos had uttered had sown a seed of doubt within Martel and now echoed within her mind. _Mother would be proud of you. No matter what._

Had he truly meant it?

But Martel wanted so desperately to save the humanity she loved, and - 

And she could not stand idle anymore. She couldn’t stand aside and continue to do nothing, as her heart screamed in pain. As she continued to wither in the oppressing palace under the watchful eye of Father.

Martel had to believe that Mithos would understand.

Yuan offered a hand, and she took it, watching a hopeful smile light up his face.

* * *

Colette sang, letting the magic flow through her with each note. She sang with all her might such that she could finally bring joy to someone. 

The dragon’s untethered magic roiled in the air, invisible to all but those with the same blood running through their veins. Powerful and potent, continuing to bring prosperity to the world while the dragon remained chained down through the sealing power of song.

Colette hoped the dragon could hear the message she weaved into the song she sang. Songs about the happiest times she had ever known: a secluded village, people just like her, and a boy who had taught her how to smile. At the very least, she wanted to bring it some relief. She wanted to ease the loneliness that permeated this cave: in the dragon’s blue eyes and its guardian, obscured by the darkness. 

Pain shot through her body and Colette collapsed to the ground, coughing uncontrollably. The bloodstains on the ground only continued to grow with time and she raised a shaking hand, dripping blood. 

The dragon’s growl cut through the haze of pain and Colette forced herself to her feet, swaying, once again pulling on her magic. There was no rest to be had here; no respite from her role. 

Colette took comfort in the familiar scent of the shawl wrapped around her waist, fingers grasping the pendant around her neck. She knew each groove of the treble clef like the back of her hand, fingers tracing its shape as she forced yet more notes out of her bruised throat. 

Colette wondered where the companion to her pendant was now. Had she gotten him far enough away from the flames that had raged that day? Was he safe? Happy? That was all that mattered. No matter how long she had to remain in agony, it was all worth it.

The men who had chained her in iron within those walls of white had sneered at her multiple times that no good came from being a Dragon-blood. It was a curse that would bring only pain to those around her. That they deserved to be in such pain, that their only use was as a sacrifice. 

Colette would gladly spin the rest of her soul into magic if it brought prosperity to others. Somewhere, somehow, Lloyd could enjoy this prosperity. She would finally be worth something; singing her life away here alone in the darkness for those that she loved. Just like the men who had kept her alive for the first 10 years of her life had told her, time and time again.

 _You have a duty to perform,_ child, _one that will finally erase the crime of your blood._

Still, some small part of her yearned to see the endless blue sky again. Yearned to run barefoot on the grass as the wind lifted her hair and the birds chirped around her. Yearned for a return of those carefree days that she had but a taste of. 

She weaved those feelings into song as well. _I’m sorry that we will never see the sky again._

* * *

Colette traced the shapes that Mother had carved onto the white walls with a fragment of her broken horn. This one was a circle, but she didn’t know what it was. And Mother didn’t have the voice to tell her.

“That’s the sun, Colette.” A pair of legs appeared in her field of view, and Colette looked up to see familiar pink hair and blue eyes. Instead of the usual scowl on Seles’ face, there was a smile. But it didn’t seem like a happy smile. Colette didn’t know what kind of smile it was.

Things were always so confusing.

“Hello, Seles. What’s the sun?” Colette asked, cocking her head. 

Seles sighed. “You poor, poor girl. The sun… it’s a giant ball of light.”

Colette pointed at the lamp sitting on the floor, the fire burning within illuminating the room. “Like a very big lamp?”

Seles shrugged. “I guess you could put it that way. Back then, I never gave it a second glance. But now that I look back, the sun… it was amazing.”

Colette dragged her finger across the floor, thinking of what Seles had said. “I don’t see what’s so special about a giant lamp.” Wouldn’t it simply provide light? What was so special about that?

“I suppose you wouldn’t be able to understand. You’ve never been outside, after all.” Seles paused, before laying her hand on Colette’s shoulder. “I just came here to tell you that I’m leaving next week. I… I’m the next one.”

“Oh,” Colette squeaked, eyes filling with tears. Seles was the only one she could talk to here. Mother couldn’t talk, and everyone else was always so angry, even those that were like her. She didn’t want to lose her only friend. And the fear in Seles’ voice was a feeling Colette was familiar with. “I’m sorry, Seles. But at least you get to do what you were born to!”

That was something to be happy about! That meant they were useful. That was what the big scary men always said. 

Seles sighed again. “Listening to you sometimes makes _me_ want to cry, you know? Just - Thanks for cheering me up when I was down, I guess. And I hope that one day you’ll be able to know how beautiful the sun is as well.”

Seles pat Colette on the head once and then left, the sound of the door swinging shut echoing in Colette’s ears. Colette got up and padded over to Mother, who was curled up in the same corner she always was. The sound of the chains attached to the iron manacle on Colette’s wrist scraping against the floor still made her cringe. It was so loud.

Colette didn’t understand why Mother always had such sad eyes. Did Mother feel bad that she didn’t have enough magic to heal Colette’s wounds fully? Colette didn’t mind the lines that the big scary men left behind on her skin. Even if the punishments were painful and made her flinch, she deserved them for not doing well enough with her songs. They all had a duty to perform, after all. She couldn’t let everyone down. 

“Did you know what the sun was like, Mother?” Colette asked, watching Mother nod. “Was it as amazing as Seles said it was?” Mother nodded again. 

It really must be amazing, then. As Colette lay down on the hard and cold porcelain floor, preparing to sleep, she wished to see it. One day.

* * *

Presea slammed the flat of her sword against the boy in front of her, forcing him to the ground and trapping him with the tip to his throat. 

_He’s barely 18. The same age Alicia would have been if she’d lived._

Presea had watched occasionally from the sidelines as soldiers had pulled struggling Dragon-bloods away. People who had once been neighbours, friends or lovers, revealed to be partially dragon. Most of them never fought back, only cried out to those they had once been close to, who turned their backs and walked away. She had worn the expression as everyone else: discomfort that had quickly vanished as everyone went about their day again. 

It was routine. It helped keep the peace and prosperity they knew, no matter how uncomfortable it made them. That was the knowledge that had been passed from parent to child for many generations. Dragon-bloods weren’t humans. Normal people like Presea weren’t supposed to feel pity for them.

Presea had never expected it to directly impact her. She was barely close to anyone outside of her family. 

The boy in front of her now wielded the same magic that her little sister had. The magic that Presea had tried so desperately to hide, for no one outside of the palace could wield magic without being a Dragon-blood. Presea didn’t know how Alicia could do it, but her little sister only made miracle after miracle happen. 

And then Alicia had been taken from them anyway, and Father had been given monetary recompense. The events of that fateful day still sickened Presea to the stomach even now. But she hadn’t been able to raise a hand against it.

How could she? It was the right thing to do. So all Presea could do was pray that Alicia was safe and that they might one day reunite. 

Presea had finally learnt the truth when she joined the Royal Guard. Alicia would never be returning home. She was long dead.

Even as he bled, the boy’s eyes burned with a passion that Presea had long since lost. How was it possible to continue to fight with such a burning desire? Presea could no longer understand. 

Kvar laughed, clapping his hands in delight. “Another dragon descendent, huh? Must be our lucky day. You were a fool, boy, to think you could ever challenge me. Your magic may be strong, but you’re still no match for Presea. She’s never lost once. Our little knight with the heart of ice.”

“You’re not even strong enough to be a replacement for the current one,” Kvar said, making an impatient gesture with his hands. “Now kill him, Presea. I think the researchers will get more use out of his dead body.” 

Presea lifted her sword with trembling hands, ready to bring it down and end yet another threat against the world’s prosperity. Surely, it was the right thing to do. Just like letting go of Alicia’s hand all those years ago had been.

The boy refused to look away, defiantly staring his fate in the face. His hands clutched a pendant around his neck, in the shape of a bass clef. His lips formed a name, and Presea remembered. 

That was how one continued to fight. For those they loved. 

Alicia had been the brightest spark Presea had ever known, unfairly snuffed out by a world who had refused her the right to live just because she had dragon blood running through her veins. 

Was the boy in front of her the same? Fighting for someone that the world would willingly trample on for their happiness?

The boy’s eyes widened as Presea turned the sword not on him, but on the King she had served for the past eight years. And her frozen heart thawed as she remembered her sister’s brilliant smile, the tears finally free to fall.

* * *

“Gah! They escaped?” Kvar snarled, slamming his hand on the arm of the throne. 

“I am sorry, my Liege. They caught us off guard, and we are nearly out of magic elixirs - “ 

“To hell with the excuses!” Kvar screamed at Pronyma. “Gather the entire army and go after them! We will not forget this slight against us by filthy Dragon-bloods, and we cannot let them free the dragon!” 

“Understood, my Liege,” Pronyma said coldly, bowing. “I will gather the full might of our country.”

“Let’s see them counter the full might of the Empire,” Kvar said, a cruel smile on his face. “You can’t run forever…”

* * *

“Martel.” 

Martel froze. She had known this confrontation was coming, for their bond tied them together. Still, she felt unprepared as she turned to face her brother. All she could do was pray that her suspicions were right. 

“Mithos.”

“I’m going with you,” Mithos said quietly, meeting Martel’s gaze resolutely. She noticed the minute trembles of his body and ached to move forward and embrace her brother. She held herself back. She didn’t want to influence his decision.

“You don’t have to, Mithos. I understand if you would rather stay. What I’m doing, it must seem -”

“I’m not stupid, Martel. I knew that both you and Father have been hiding things from me. I did some digging of my own. I know what we’re doing to humanity, what I am meant to lead.” Mithos took a tentative step towards Martel, hands outstretched. “I can’t condone that. Please, let me come with you.”

_Don’t leave me._

“You would lose everything,” Martel warned. She wanted nothing more than to remain with her brother, but she would not let him lightly forsake his birthright. 

Mithos ran forward and threw his arms around her, sobbing, and Martel hugged him back, feeling the mark over her heart sing as a weight she didn’t even know was there lifted. “You’re my sister. There’s nothing more important to me than you. I don’t care about anything else. And Mother made us promise to never leave each other’s side.”

Martel smiled, letting her tears of relief fall as she patted his head. “And Mother always knew best.”

* * *

Lloyd did a double-take as he came across the most peculiar sight at the entrance to the village. Was he imagining things, or was that a girl collapsed on the dirt?

Lloyd ran over quickly, getting to his knees next to her. “Hey! Hey, are you alright?”

The girl weakly lifted her head, hand scrabbling aimlessly at the dirt, arms littered with both wounds and scars. If she had managed to get through the barrier, then she must be part-dragon too. Who knew what suffering she had gone through? Lloyd was lucky enough to have been born to parents who both loved him and was able to protect him. He was even luckier to have found a place to stay where he wouldn't have to fear being hunted. Most Dragon-bloods suffered a fate much worse. 

She was crying, tear tracks easily visible on her dirt-covered face. “Mother... I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” It was like she hadn't heard his question at all.

She got out nothing more as she fell unconscious, the chain of iron around her wrist reflecting the sunlight and momentarily blinding Lloyd. It was the same as the one that Dad had in his room, though that one is nothing more than scattered and broken links. Lloyd flinched as he laid a hand on her forehead. She was burning up. He needed to get help as quickly as possible.

“Mom! Dad!” Lloyd yelled as he ran in the direction of home, hoping his parents could hear him. “There’s a girl at the entrance! She’s unconscious, and burning up! I think she came from one of the facilities!”

Lloyd thought it fortunate that he attracted his parents' attention so quickly. He really had no idea what state the girl was in. Now at least she could get help.

After all the hubbub and fuss from the villagers, Dad eventually managed to carry the girl to a spare bed in the hospital. Lloyd stared curiously from behind his father’s back at the girl with golden hair, lying still.

“How is she?” Mom asked, setting down a basin of water next to the bed. Dad was the one in charge of healing with magic, while Mom assisted or used herbs. Right now, the room was filled with the sound of Dad's healing song, soothing as always. Even now, Lloyd could feel himself relaxing from his previously tense state. Any song with emotion weaved into it could do wonders.

Dad broke off in the middle of his healing song coughing and Lloyd started to get worried. That never happened unless Dad was using way too much magic than was good for him. Which meant that this situation was far more serious than Lloyd had initially thought.

Lloyd didn't want to see the girl in front of him die.

Mom was quick to offer a cup of water that Dad downed immediately. Dad was always good at hiding what he felt, but Lloyd could see the clear worry on his face. How bad _were_ things? “She had a surprisingly small amount of injuries for someone who broke out of a facility. Someone must have been protecting her… I’ve healed all of her surface injuries, but I’m more worried about her magic," Dad answered. "She’s a quarter, but her magic is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen. I’m worried her body can’t sustain it, especially with how unstable it is now. It could kill her.”

Dad sighed. “There’s no other choice. I’m going to have to sing to her until her magic stabilises.”

Mom gasped, horror appearing on her face immediately. “Kratos, you can’t. You could kill yourself before you save her.”

“What else do you expect me to do? I am not letting another one die on my watch!” Dad snarled, a growl much more akin to his dragon heritage slipping out.

“You can’t do this for every person who comes in here! I understand the guilt you feel, but at this rate you really will kill yourself - “

Lloyd paid no heed to his parent’s argument, instead choosing to approach the bed and taking up the girl’s hand. It was cold in his palm. From her face, Lloyd could tell that she was around the same age as him, but yet she was so much gaunter. In pain, even, from the little whimpers she made occasionally and the furrowing of her brow in her sleep. 

When he had nightmares when he was younger, Dad would always sing a gentle lullaby. Lloyd could remember the warmth and safety he felt, embraced by the feeling of family. He wanted so desperately to do something instead of standing here feeling incredibly helpless.

The first notes slipped out without any conscious effort as Lloyd’s eyes slid shut, remembering candle-lit nights. He doesn’t realise that his parents had fallen silent until he opened his eyes again, eyes widening as he witnessed the song become tendrils of magic around him. It was incredible to witness. He'd never done song magic before this. He hadn't known he could.

Lloyd came to the end of the lullaby, directing his attention back towards the bed. The girl’s open blue eyes stared at him, tears shining in them, a look of wonder on her face. 

“Hi,” he whispered, glad to see her awake. Maybe she would be alright now. “I’m Lloyd.”

* * *

“Do you… hear that?” Mithos asked, pausing in his tracks and cocking his head, one pointed ear poking out from his golden hair. 

Martel frowned. She had been unconsciously pushing it to the back of her mind, but the sound of broken branches behind them was becoming more apparent. What could possibly be making it, and why was it so persistent? Could it be a strong animal of some kind, hoping to challenge them for encroaching in its territory? “Now that you mention it, yes.”

“Something’s been trailing us, and for quite a long time,” Yuan muttered, glaring suspiciously at the woods around them. The dense leaves overhead meant that barely any light made it through to the forest floor. If they had to fight, it would be in terrible conditions. Better to confront their tail now than get ambushed.

Martel caught her brother's eye. Surely Mithos was thinking the same thing. Mithos nodded to show his understanding before darting into the trees - 

Only to dart back out with something writhing in his hands. 

“It tried to bite me,” Mithos said in surprise. 

“It” was a young boy who looked barely older than 10, with auburn hair and russet eyes, tiny black horns barely sticking out over his hair. He was wearing a dirty torn one-piece, body littered with bruises, mouth split in a snarl as he struggled wildly in Mithos’ grip. 

Martel gasped, hand covering her mouth. She could recognise the characteristics immediately. The horns by themselves were a dead give-away. “He’s a half-dragon. Mithos, put him down, now.” 

Mithos nodded, putting the boy down gently. Immediately, he tried to run but screamed in pain instead when he put weight on one of his legs. That leg must be broken.

“You poor thing,” Martel whispered, kneeling next to the boy as she began to sing a simple healing song. The boy only stared back with wariness but made no move to run as she healed him. 

“He doesn’t even know how to talk,” Mithos whispered. “I’ve heard that they didn’t treat half-dragons well, but to this extent…”

“This one looks like he escaped from one of the experimental facilities I’ve heard about, Yuan said, kneeling next to Martel and grabbing the boy’s arm gently to reveal the chain of iron around his wrist. “The iron, the number of injuries he has…” 

Martel sighed as she finished the song, watching the boy test his weight. “Dragons look down upon humans and humans look down upon half-dragons. The cruelty just doesn’t end.” In her brief moments on this world, Martel had never seen a half-dragon before now. She had heard Father mention them: as worthless vermin that even humanity was justified in exterminating. Humanity themselves saw half-dragons as freaks, monsters, and most certainly not as people.

Martel found it heart-breaking. In the end, none of them were that different. Why did they all have to fear each other so? To continue hurting each other so? It made no sense and yet it showed no signs of stopping.

She placed a gentle hand on the boy’s head, happiness filling her heart when he doesn’t bolt immediately. She'd been expecting him to, given how skittish he'd acted before. He’s still wary, of course, but seemed to have decided to stay for now. 

Everyone in this world was imperfect. But they all deserved to be treated equally. A better world, where everyone could be what they were without fear - people. That was what Martel would continue to fight for.

“What should I name you, little one?” Martel whispered, wondering if the feeling budding within her heart was love.

* * *

“ _Run_ , Lloyd!” Colette screamed, raw terror in her voice as she tugged at Lloyd’s hand. Lloyd turned his head and watched the flames rage through the village he had grown up in. All his best memories had been made here: Mom reading him a bed-time story; playing with the children outside the orphanage; lying on his stomach on the grass and watching the stars with Colette at his side. 

“Wait, Colette! I can’t just leave! Mom and Dad are still in there!” Lloyd cried desperately, tucking his feet into the dirt until they both skid to a stop. They were both panting, the heat of the nearby flames licking at their skin, hearts beating fast. Colette turned to face him, tears streaming from her eyes and left hand clenched over her heart. This was a familiar terror to both of them; the terror of being hunted. 

“Lloyd, we _can’t_. I want more than anything to go back and help, but your Father made me promise to get you to safety.” 

“I don’t care!” He screamed, his throat already raw from the smoke. It didn’t matter, he would not leave his parents behind. 

Colette drew herself upwards, mouth thinning into a determined line. “I won’t let you die too, Lloyd. I -”

Colette’s head whipped to the side, eyes widening in horror. A second too late, Lloyd registered the unnatural magic that had sneakily ensnared the two of them, threatening to split the very air in two. 

What seemed almost like an explosion of light blinded Lloyd, forcing him to cover his eyes. The next thing he knew, he was on his knees, the tip of a sword pointed at his throat. The wielder at the other end, a woman with green hair and purple eyes, smirked cruelly down at him. Colette was in the same situation, but had her head bowed, hair forming a veil over her face. Almost as in defeat.

_Don’t give up. Not again._

“You - Why did you do this? What have we ever done to you?” Lloyd yelled, anger and desperation rising within him. All of the people in the village that he had known: the innocent children, the adults who had been through so much trauma and had finally found a safe place to live. Were they all to be herded to facilities to be forced to help seal the Dragon someday, or be forced to death? Was there no other way for them to live?

“Nothing. You’ve done nothing and I couldn’t care less,” the woman replied, shrugging. “It is fun to hunt you lot down, especially with an actual worthy opponent like the half-dragon back there. But this is how things have always been and I must obey the royal family. Who cares if a small group of people have to suffer? It’s not like you’re one of us.” 

They were inconsequential. All those with Dragon-blood meant nothing to the humans who knew of their existence. Their only worth was as sacrifices. Lloyd hated it, hated the way things had always been. 

They were people too. They deserved the right to live, to be among others, to be happy. 

“Lloyd!” Colette pleaded, hand reaching out to grasp his. “You need to calm down. You can’t use that much magic, it’ll _kill_ you!” 

It was then that Lloyd became aware of the magic swirling within him, all his rage being funnelled into pure power that he itched to unleash. Why shouldn’t someone else know the suffering they felt? Why -

A haunting melody cut through his rage. Lloyd stared with wide eyes at Colette, who had begun to sing. He had heard her sing before: there was always an underlying sadness to her voice, but this was something else. Loneliness and desperation permeated every note she formed. It was enchanting, causing even the woman to lower her sword slightly.

The melody was familiar…

_“Are you shifting all of that alone, Lloyd?” Colette asked, squatting down to examine the large pile of logs he was slowly tugging forward._

_“Yeah,” Lloyd panted. “Was. Going to. Make a. Hideout. For the other kids.” He was overdue. He had volunteered to make the hideout and was supposed to be finished a week ago, but the storms had delayed his trip to the forest to get materials. Now that the weather was finally clear, he had thought it would be a good idea to finally get the wood he needed. Except, well..._

 _Lloyd groaned, dropping the string onto the dirt. “This is so heavy.” All he wanted to do was lie down on the floor and never get back up._

_“I can help you!” Colette offered, straightening up. “You look tired. It’s hard doing this alone!”_

_“No, it’s fine,” Lloyd replied, bending over to relieve his aching back. It really wouldn’t do to make Colette carry something so heavy. “I can do this alone.”_

_“I insist!”_

_That was the moment Colette began to sing. Her voice was as beautiful as always, able to invoke emotion with just the slightest lilt or swell. This time, she sang of a bird, free to fly wherever it wanted. Still enraptured by her performance, Lloyd watched in astonishment as the logs disappeared from his sight._

_“You want to know what I did, don’t you?” Colette asked, trying to hold back her laughter with a hand over her mouth at his clueless expression. “Well, it was teleportation -”_

“- magic,” Lloyd whispered, realising what it was Colette was trying to do. He had to stop her. He couldn't let her do it, it would leave her here alone. “Colette, _don’t_ -”

The last thing Lloyd saw before his vision went black was Colette’s gentle, hopeful smile and the words she mouthed at him. 

_Thank you._

* * *

“You little _bitch_ , what did you do?”

Colette barely heard the words. The world had gone mostly white. All she could see was the grass right in front of her and the ash falling from the sky. Pain lit up every single nerve as she coughed, body prone on the dirt. Any form of magic for a quarter-dragon was dangerous, especially song magic. Teleporting an entire person had put a giant strain on her.

But Lloyd was safe. He was somewhere… away. Away from here. That was all that mattered.

“I said, _what_ did you do?”

Colette cried out in pain as a hand tugged at her hair, bringing her face-to-face with the woman’s murderous expression. The woman’s lip curled as she slapped Colette across the face. Colette bit her lip, feeling her teeth break flesh, pushing down her urge to whimper. This feeling - of fear and pain - was intimately familiar to her.

“Well, if your magic is that strong, Kvar is going to want to see you personally,” the woman said in disgust, releasing her grip on Colette’s hair. Colette let her head drop again, relief flooding her. “Which means I can’t kill you.”

Colette knew her chance at escape was long gone. How ironic. In the end, she would return to the duty she had originally been assigned.

* * *

Martel slammed her staff to the ground, staring in silence at the roiling waves of energy before her. She had come full circle and returned to the rift that led to what had once been her home, the very same rift that she had gone through only decades ago. 

Drakengard, beautiful in its majesty, and stifling in its might. Where Martel had taken her first steps, flown through the sky for the first time, where Mother had raised her and taught her what it was to love. 

Kratos’s gaze darted nervously between Martel and Mithos as he stepped forward, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to do this. If we pool our strength together, I’m sure we could -” 

“No. I can’t let anyone else do this,” Martel replied resolutely, casting a grateful smile at the boy who she had come to see as a son. Martel knew that he was no longer a young boy. He had as much blood on his hands as any of them. But some part of her still saw him that way and always would: the young boy who had come to trust her more than anything and happily sought out her warmth.

“I decided to leave my home to fight for equality, and I will see it through.” Yuan had told her to act for herself. And if she didn’t have the courage to go through with this now, then what was the point of leaving in the first place? 

Martel knew she would miss her home. That she would feel guilt for a long time after. But it had to be done.

Mithos placed his hand on her arm, his presence warm and reassuring by her side. “We’ll do this together, Martel. You won’t be alone.”

Martel knew that he would never leave her, no matter what.

Martel smiled at her brother, tightening her grip on her staff as she began to sing. He’s right, as the marks on her heart reminded her, pulsing with life as she pours her very soul into her song. All those she loved, and who loved her, were here by her side to remind her that she still had so much to live for. She was no longer tied to her home or Father. She had the power and the will, now, to make her path. To create a world where all could live freely, no matter their blood. 

So she sang, her brother’s voice joining hers. Of hope and peace, of family and love. The energy began to move ever more erratically as the rift slowly closed, sealing away her home and her past.

* * *

“Shit,” Lloyd cursed, ducking into a dark alley to avoid detection by the contingent of knights marching past. The knights were dragging behind them yet another struggling victim, who would be brought to meet their “preordained” fate. “That’s another one gone.”

Lloyd hissed in pain when he bit down just a tad too hard with his sharper-than-normal teeth, tasting iron as blood dripped down his chin. The pain acted to ground him, at the very least, as he leaned against the wall and wondered what he could do now.

Once again, the crowd of onlookers had done nothing. No one had been willing to raise a voice of objection or a hand to help. They had simply looked away with their heads bowed in fear. How, then, was anything to change? Would Dragon-bloods be forever doomed to live like this, in fear and persecution?

Lloyd’s fingers drifted across the bumps of the iron chain he wore along his belt, a reminder of everything that has been taken from him and the constant pain that his people went through, day in and day out. An endless cycle of torment that would never end just to bring happiness to a select group.

He looked up at the sky. It was beautiful today, clear of clouds and a wonderful azure. The same sky they used to look at together, under the shade of a single tree. His fingers tightened around the Bass Clef hanging around his neck, wondering where its companion could be.

Some days, Lloyd didn't know if he could continue. There were days when despair was all he felt; knowing that his family was gone and his best friend was somewhere unknown, slowly dying all alone. But the next day, he would get up and continue on his journey again. He couldn't give up, his desire to see her again too strong. He had come this far listening to the faint echoes of her voice in his heart, and he wouldn't stop now.

_Where are you now, Colette? Will I ever find you again?_

* * *

“So why can’t I try singing?” Kratos asked, wide russet eyes staring innocently up at Martel as he snuggled deeper into her lap. 

“Song magic is dangerous, that’s why,” Mithos replied, frowning as he lay back down on the grass. The corner of the sun barely peeked out of the clouds covering the sky, casting a wonderful warm glow on the world below. It was a nice day, all in all. “You never see us use it outside of healing either, do you? It could kill even us if we weren’t careful.” 

“But I want to try!” Kratos cried, pouting as he flung a ball of water at Mithos. 

_“Ugh!”_ Mithos complained, flinging his arms up in resignation. “You remember how you used to fling fireballs at me when I was annoying, Martel? Why can’t you do the same with him?” 

Martel smiled, running one hand through Kratos’ hair and paying special attention to his horns. It was always cute when Kratos closed his eyes and made a tiny sound of enjoyment. He acted so much like a cat sometimes. “He never got the chance to be a child, Mithos. Besides, he’s a lot more fragile than you.”

She heard Mithos mutter something that sounded suspiciously like favouritism, prompting Yuan’s muffled laughter. “You’re spoiling him, Martel.” 

She flushed. “Well, I’m just glad he’s made so much progress in these three short years! Besides, it’ll be his birthday soon.”

Yuan sat himself down beside her, giving Kratos a little pat on the head. Kratos frowned and shied away, scrambling off and running away across the grass. Yuan sighed. “He’s still skittish around me? I thought he would have finally gotten used to me.” 

“Just give it a little more time,” Martel replied, leaning against her husband and enjoying the warmth of the sun. Spending time with those she loved... It was important not to forget these simple pleasures. She was grateful to still be able to experience them, even in the midst of her mission. “I’m certain he’ll come around.”

Yuan hummed. “It is certainly nice. Being able to enjoy peaceful days like this, under the blue sky…” 

Martel looked up at the wide blue sky, linking her hand with his. “It’s certainly been difficult, and I’m sure it’ll be even more difficult from here on out. But it’ll all be worth it if everyone can enjoy a sense of peace like this.”

Mithos, indignant squawking turning to laughter as Kratos pounced on him; her husband by her side; and the knowledge that they were working towards a better world. That was what made her struggle worth it and gave her the strength to continue fighting what seemed, sometimes, to be a hopeless mission.

She hoped these days could continue, forever.

* * *

“Lloyd. I’ve been meaning to ask this for some time, but… Do you know what element it was that Colette inherited?” Presea asked from across the campfire. “All Dragon-bloods have either dark or light magic.”

Lloyd paused from polishing his swords, looking at his companions gathered close around the campfire. “She had dark elemental magic.”

Zelos, who had been leaning against one of the trees with his arms crossed, one hand resting on the pommel of his shortsword, opened a single eye. “Dark…?”

“Is that… bad?” Lloyd noted the dark expression that all three of his travelling companions now wore. Zelos was staring at him now with what Lloyd recognised as pity. He did not like where this conversation was going. 

“Well, Lloyd…” Raine replied, frowning. “The sealing magic used requires both dark and light elemental magic in equal measure. It’s why those who are captured to perform the sealing magic die so fast. Since they’re not pure dragons, they only wield one element and have to pull on their life force for the rest. But to substitute light…”

“Your little friend has to pull even more than the average Dragon-blood from her lifeforce,” Zelos finished. “You understand that there’s a high chance she might already be dead by the time we make it there, don’t you? If we ever find the place we’re looking for?”

“We’ll find it,” Lloyd replied, going back to polishing his swords. He had no doubt they would. He wouldn’t stop until they did. “And Colette’s not dead,” Lloyd insisted. “She won’t die that easily.” 

“If you say so, bud,” Zelos said, leaning back against the tree with his arms crossed behind his head. “If you believe in that so strongly, there’s nothing I can do to convince you otherwise. Just… keep the possibility in mind, would you?”

His companions left Lloyd alone at the campfire with his thoughts. The belief that Colette was alive and still out there was strong in his heart, and Lloyd couldn’t afford to stop believing in that. It was one of the only things still keeping him going.

Lloyd looked up at the night sky, full of the twinkling stars that Dad had loved. Under this same sky, Colette was somewhere, singing her life away. He had hope that she would wait for him and that he would find her.

_After all, we made a promise._

* * *

“Hey, Colette!” Lloyd spotted Colette sitting beneath the shade of the giant willow tree. She was wearing a white knee-length dress, the red shawl Mom had given her laying on her lap. The giant willow tree was a spot the two of them often occupied: after classes, before meals, or just anytime they were free. To Lloyd, it was their little private spot where they could always find each other’s company. 

Colette waved at him, smiling, using her other hand to shield her eyes against the sun’s harsh rays. “Hi, Lloyd! You look really excited. What is it?”

Lloyd sat next to her in the sun-warm grass, retrieving her present from his pocket and presenting it to her with pride. He had a right to be proud, he’d made it himself! He’d even put in twice the amount of work this time. It hadn’t been easy to make two articles and also make it on time. It’s why he’d started so early this time around, so there was no chance he’d overrun. “Here! It’s your birthday present!”

Colette’s eyes widened as she took the pendant in the shape of a Treble Clef. “Oh, thank you! I only told you it was this day last year. I didn’t expect you to remember.”

“Of course I would remember, Colette, you’re my best friend!” Lloyd protested. “It’s such a special day. I would never miss it! Not for anything in the world.” 

Colette shyly looked away, hand pushing a lock of stray hair behind her ear. “Thank you. It… means a lot to me.” 

Lloyd knew that it did. The first two years that she’d been here, Colette had been so skittish. Afraid to go near anyone, flinching at the slightest loud noise, always hiding behind his back at the first signs of danger. She had resembled a scared animal, sometimes. Lloyd had known people who had taken months to live a normal life again after being freed from facilities, but Colette had been born in one. It was all she had ever known, her whole world before her mother had freed her. 

It hurt to know that. That pain, suffering and constant fear were what Colette defined as normal, that she had never had the chance to experience childish joy or know what it was like to be safe. She would forever be littered with scars, both physical and emotional. But she had come so far in just four years. She had learned how to read and write, had opened herself up to the other children and learned to play with them, and had effortlessly slotted herself into the inner workings of the village. Everyone was thankful that she had become part of their lives.

Colette was the strongest person he knew. And even though she didn’t seem particularly close to anyone other than him, sometimes he was secretly glad of that. It meant he got to see her rare smile all the more. Lloyd knew little acts of appreciation made her day, and he was more than willing to keep showering her with them. She deserved it after being through so much.

Lloyd shook himself out of his thoughts, reaching forward. “Do you want me to help you put it on? It’s always a pain when the clasp is behind your neck.”

“Sure.” Colette leaned forward, allowing Lloyd to thread the pendant around her neck and snap the clasp closed.

“There you go!” Lloyd, grinning, leaned back and enjoyed his handiwork. It was a delicate shape to carve out and he’d spent hours bent over his table to finish it. He was glad it looked good.

Colette fingered the Treble Clef, cocking her head. “What’s it supposed to be, though? I’m sorry, I don’t recognise it…”

“It’s fine, Colette. It’s a Treble Clef, something Dad told me about. You know, like the Alto Clef he wears? It’s a musical symbol and I thought it would fit you because… Well…” It was Lloyd’s turn to blush and look away, suddenly becoming very interested in the grass at his feet. “Your singing. It’s beautiful.” 

“Thank you,” Colette whispered. “I’ll treasure it.” 

Remembering the second piece he’d made, Lloyd rummaged in his pocket and drew out the second pendant, revealing it to Colette.

Colette gasped in surprise. “There’s a second one? It matches the first.”

“Yep! It’s a Bass Clef. I purposely made one for myself that matched yours. If we have matching pendants, then we’ll always be together. I think,” Lloyd explained, smiling sheepishly. It was certainly far-fetched, but he liked to believe it could be true. 

Colette giggled, the sound of her laughter brightening up his day. “That’s a little silly! But I could believe in that. Here, let me help you put it on.”

“Thank you, Lloyd. Really,” Colette said once the pendant was securely fastened around Lloyd’s neck. “In the past, the only one who celebrated my birthday was Mother. It’s… nice, to have someone else to spend it with.” 

“It’s the least I could do,” Lloyd replied. “And there’s still more!” He had roped in almost all of the children. They all loved Colette and were more than willing to organise a celebration. 

Colette was smiling, and yet the usual sadness still lingered in her eyes. Pain often clung to Dragon-bloods, like a ghost that couldn't be exorcised. It was no different for Colette. Lloyd knew she had nightmares, even if she wouldn't admit it. The dark circles under her eyes were irrefutable proof that she couldn't sleep most nights.

He hated the way things were. Lloyd longed to help Colette forget all the suffering she’d gone through. But things were never that simple. He supposed no Dragon-blood hadn’t suffered. It was hard not to when all of humanity was out to get you. 

But he could at least cheer her up. 

“So, since we have matching pendants now, shall we promise to always stay together?” Lloyd asked, grinning. “And if we ever get separated, we’ll just find each other again! Easy as that!”

“Easy as that?” Colette repeated in amazement. “You make it sound simple...”

“I’m just confident I can find you. No matter where you are!” Lloyd proclaimed proudly, offering his pinky. “Pinky promise?”

Colette linked her pinky with his, offering him another bright smile. “I promise.”

* * *

Lloyd sighed, sitting down on a tree stump to clean the blood off his swords. This wasn’t the first human he’d killed, but each unnecessary death still brought forth the same feeling of guilt. He always tried to avoid killing, but sometimes there was simply no other way. 

He’d been in so much anger and despair for the first two years that he hadn’t truly considered the impact of anything he was doing. The people that he’d hurt had families too. Lloyd couldn’t exactly blame them for wanting to protect the prosperity they had always known. Who wouldn’t? And yet neither could he say that humanity was innocent. All of humanity was complicit in oppressing Dragon-bloods, but it was also all they had ever known. It was just as Presea had said. Everyone thought that this was normal. The right thing to do, even. 

Could he fault them for all they had done, then? No single person held any blame. Those who had perpetuated this very system were dead, the events that had led up to it having been long forgotten.

All Lloyd felt anymore was tired. Tired of the endless cycle of suffering that had been entrenched so deeply in society that no one was willing to change it. Everyone deserves the chance to live. It was simple. But that truth was buried beneath so much fear. How could he ever convince an entire world - 

_“BUD!”_

Lloyd snapped out of his thoughts, looking up to see Zelos waving his hand in his face. “What…?”

“Oh, I finally have your attention. The other two have gone out to forage for game, so it’s just the two of us,” Zelos replied, climbing up onto a low-hanging branch with little effort. Zelos did so love his tree-top perches. Maybe because Presea couldn't reach him with her sword when he was up there.

“And…?” Lloyd asked warily, placing his swords on the ground. He’d come to expect mostly pranks and trickery from Zelos. Missing weapons, traps, strange ingredients within their meals… Lloyd did appreciate Zelos coming along. He was another invaluable ally in their journey, but outside of battle, Zelos was highly annoying to deal with. 

But there wasn’t a hint of the usual smirk on Zelos’ face. Instead, he seemed almost… contemplative? It was unusual, coming from Zelos. Lloyd knew that there was real pain buried somewhere within the man in front of him, but Zelos rarely let it show. 

“Have you considered that even if we find your friend alive, she… She might be unwilling to leave?” Zelos asked, words coming out slowly like he was unwilling to ask. 

“I would like to say I haven’t, but… I have,” Lloyd admitted. “Colette… She would be just the person to put others over herself, even at the cost of her own life.”

Colette had been alone for 4 years now. Lloyd didn’t know what was driving her to stay alive. Was it her desire to perhaps one day see the sky again? Or was it only her desire to help others and that entrenched belief that her only worth was as a sacrifice that society drove into all their heads? 

Lloyd dreaded to think that it could be true. But if Colette thought she was helping others and protecting this world, then she would willingly stay. 

“But still, I have to try,” Lloyd whispered. “She has a right to live as well.”

Zelos stabbed his shortsword into the trunk of the tree, frowning. Unhappiness seemed to hang over him like a dark cloud. “So you’re prepared to sacrifice everyone’s prosperity? Well, I guess it’s more of humanity’s prosperity. Society has never welcomed Dragon-bloods to share in it. Still, that’s a lot of innocent people.”

Lloyd shrugged. “I know the consequences of my actions, and I’ve made peace with that. Prosperity built on other’s suffering isn’t true happiness. And I’m sure a lot of people aren’t alright with what’s happening. They’re just too scared to speak up.”

Lloyd would just have to start with saving Colette. That was what he could do for now. 

And he believed that everyone was strong enough to find their happiness. They didn’t need to rely on a twisted system. 

“And why are you here?” Lloyd asked. It was a question he had asked before, but Zelos had always waved it away, reflecting with either a joke or a trick. Lloyd had a feeling he might finally answer it now. “Presea wants to avenge her sister, Raine is a half-dragon and I’m a quarter-dragon. But you, you’re fully human. What have you got to gain?” 

“I’m nothing more than an old man with nothing to lose, Lloyd,” Zelos replied, waving the question away like he always did. “Maybe I was just bored. Or tired with this shitty world.”

“Old?” Lloyd snorted, resisting the urge to throw a rock at Zelos. Knocking him off the branch sounded nice right about now. Did he have to keep being so elusive? “If I was going to call anyone old, it would be Raine.” 

“Don’t let her hear you say that, or she really will make good on her threat to incinerate you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

* * *

“Zelos.”

“What, Presea?” Zelos continued to skin the rabbit, not looking away from his task. Wildlife was hard to come by in these parts, and tonight’s dinner wasn’t going to make itself. 

“Do you think I wouldn’t recognise you? You forget. I used to be nobility as well,” Presea settled herself down next to him, setting wood down and preparing to start a fire. “You didn’t even change your name.”

Zelos snorted, a crooked smile growing on his face. “Well, I’m certain no one would expect me to be in this position right now. Mother would be so delighted if she was alive to see this.”

Presea studied him, eyes full of empathy. At least it wasn’t a pitying glance. Zelos couldn’t _stand_ pity. Back then, his family's "friends" had sent their condolences, expressing their pity over what had happened. All Zelos had been able to see was the looks of relief on their faces. They hadn't truly cared that Seles was gone. “I’m sorry about your sister,” she said at last. 

Zelos wondered if the smile on his face now was genuine. It would be the first one since Seles, who had always infuriated him and been the little sister he loved, had been taken from his life. “I’m sorry about yours as well.”

* * *

Raine sighed, resting her head against the cold dungeon wall behind her. It was dark in her cell, the only light coming from the singular torch beside it. She couldn’t move more than an inch away from the wall, shackled to the wall by the iron around her throat, dampening her magic. 

She’d failed, and there was nothing more she could do other than await her fate. What had she expected anyway? A quarter-dragon wasn’t going to be able to do anything against the might of the Empire. 

She didn’t care that she was going to die. It was lonely, for sure, here in the damp and dark all alone. But Raine had grown up knowing that she was more than likely to die. The fact that she’d lived for so long with just herself and her brother in a world that didn’t want their kind was a miracle. 

Raine’s only regret was that she had failed to avenge Genis. His memory would die with her.

Well, she wouldn’t let the King have the last laugh. She would die on her terms; not dissected on a table.

As Raine lifted the dagger she’d hidden in her shoe, she bitterly thought that her poor little brother hadn’t had the same choice. Genis' only choice had been death. And he was long dead.

Raine’s hands shook as the first inklings of pain registered, a single bead of blood appearing where the tip of the dagger pierced her throat. 

The loud sound of the gate to her cell slamming open shocked Raine into dropping the dagger, looking up at the figure in the entrance to her cell. A man with red hair stood there, grinning with the dungeon keys dangling from one hand.

He extended a hand, still with that infuriating smile on his face. “It’s too early to give up, you know. Always let yourself have the last laugh against this terrible twisted world. What do you say?”

Raine remembered her brother’s fiery spirit. Genis had often been afraid of humans, yet he had never lost his pride over being a quarter-dragon. He had told her that they had every right to live. That they _should_ be able to live, free from the persecution of others. 

If she wanted to honour her brother's memory, then...

Raine took the hand offered to her, not yet willing to give up.

* * *

Martel awakened from her latest slumber at the sounds of life. Footsteps echoed through the caverns, interspersed with the sounds of water dripping from the ceiling. 

It was another group entering the cave. Martel sighed, hands tightening over her staff. It had been at least a few decades since anyone had tried to oppose the world order. She had hoped that it meant no one would ever try again. 

That hope had been in vain. Now there were more people she would have to kill, who likely held the same blood she did. She was so tired, but there would never be an end. Even if she were to be freed from her restraints, she would not turn against her brother. 

_The bond over your heart is broken, and so too is your brother._

Martel ignored the tiny voice in her mind, drowning it out in the fury of battle. It’s a ragtag group that has come this time. A man with fiery red-hair who fought with a shortsword and a woman with pink hair who fought with a sword who both, curiously, had not a single drop of Dragon-blood. What motivated them, then, to fight? 

The other two are both quarter-dragons. The woman, with the silver hair and who fought with magic, looked… like the little one. The one that had perished just a few short years before. Martel shut off that train of thought quickly. 

The final one… was a boy. There was no other way to describe him. He was so incredibly young and resembled another child she had shoved far into the recesses of her memory.  
The fire being flung around the cavern lit up the pendant around his neck. A musical symbol similar to the one she had put around Kratos’ neck.

Martel would not let herself admit that her suspicions were true. 

And so she fought, with the magic swirling in her veins and the guilt locked within her heart, already grieving these little lives who will be lost here. No one was a match for a full-blooded dragon.

They would die here and be forgotten.

* * *

Lloyd panted as he held his swords in trembling hands, pointed at the guardian of this cave. Every part of his body ached, every single wound screaming in pain. But all that mattered was that he was one step closer to Colette. Even now, he could hear the faint echoes of her voice. 

His companions slowly got to their feet, each nursing their wounds. It had been a difficult battle and one that they had barely won. If it wasn’t for the burst of strength Lloyd had gotten from finally hearing Colette’s voice again and the guardian hesitating, they would have been goners. 

“Do it,” the guardian whispered, raising her head and exposing her neck. “I am nothing but an obstacle in your path.” 

Lloyd does slash forward with his sword, but not through the guardian’s throat. Instead, he shattered the mask over her face, the sound of the pieces falling on the stone floor reverberating through the cave.

Lloyd knew who the woman before him was. He had thought the stories Dad had told him were nothing more than embellished versions of the legend, but it was hard to continue believing that when the truth was right before his eyes. She must know who he was as well. There was no other explanation for that split second of hesitation.

There was no need to kill her. She had lost enough. He would not continue this cycle of violence and death. 

Martel Yggdrasil stared at him in disbelief, lips parted and tears falling from her green eyes. To Lloyd, she looked no older than twenty, but he knew that she had lived thousands of years. Much of them spent in isolation and misery here, protecting someone that no longer lived.

“You had someone you wanted to protect. That’s not something to be condemned.”

Lloyd turned away, and witnessing the nods of approval from his companions, began to move further into the cavern. This final part, he would have to do alone. 

Slowly, stumbling over rocks, wounds stinging, he made his way. Towards the sound of Colette’s voice. Where she was waiting for him. 

Finally, they had found each other again.

* * *

“Lloyd?” 

Colette couldn’t believe her eyes. After days and days of thinking about where he was and how he was doing, having lost track of the years she had spent here, there he was. Standing in front of her, illuminated by the faint light of the luminescent mushrooms lining the walls of the cavern. She stared at him, hand clenched over her heart. Was he real?

Lloyd stepped forward, taking her hand. His hand was warm, the scars and calluses on his palm rough under her fingertips. He wasn’t just a figment of her imagination conjured up by her lonely mind. He was real. 

She muttered his name again, overrun with joy as she threw herself fully into his arms. She was overjoyed to know that Lloyd was alive. He’d changed in their time apart, much as she had. He was much taller now than when he’d been fourteen. She’d nearly forgotten the shade of brown his hair was, the colour of his eyes, the sound of his voice. 

Colette basked in Lloyd’s warmth. They say that absence makes the heart fonder, and at this moment she could think of nothing more true. She had yearned to see him for so long, to know that he was doing alright. 

But why was he here? Therein lay the fear that warred with her joy. He was meant to be out under the sky, feeling the sun’s rays and being free to enjoy the prosperity she protected. Not here in the darkness. 

Colette’s fingers tightened on Lloyd’s arms as she pulled away slightly, lips parting as she observed his worrying state. There were a frightening amount of wounds visible on his body and a stream of blood trickling lazily down his forehead that she gently brushed away. He must have suffered to get here, but she still had to ask the dreaded question. “Why are you here?” 

Lloyd smiled, placing a single finger on her lips. “All I wanted was to see your smile again.”

Colette did smile for him then, a single tear falling. They had wished for the same thing. And now that their wish had been granted, she had to push him away. 

The one thing Colette did not want was for Lloyd to see her die. She would not burden him with that memory.

Colette let go of the one she loved more than anything in the world and turned her back on him, preparing to rip her own heart out once again. “You’ve seen me again, Lloyd. Now you have to leave.” 

“I’m not leaving here without you, Colette.”

Colette closed her eyes, holding back her sobs of despair as she grasped her pendant. She hoped it would give her the strength of will to push him away. “Please, Lloyd. Better it be me than anyone else. _Please_ go. Go enjoy the sunlight, the grass, the stars, the sky, all the things I will never see again. For me.”

This was her way of protecting him and ensuring his future. Safeguarding the happiness of thousands, just as she had always been meant to. Even if some small part of her heart screamed to go with him, she would not abandon her duty. 

She raised her head, letting her tears flow from under closed eyelids as she resisted the urge to turn around and take his hand. It would be so easy. “I had a small taste of what freedom was. You taught me what it was. For that, I am eternally grateful. I -” 

The dragon’s roar cut off her final words, its rage once again making itself known. It was too late. She hadn't managed to tell him what she most wanted to, and now she never would.

Colette turned to face the dragon, singing what she knew would be her final song. Tired and weak, she knew any more magic would kill her. She prayed that :;pyd would find his way safely to the world outside, bright and beautiful. Her final selfish desire to see him again had been granted. She could die here, happy and with a smile on her face.

Colette weaved the last message she wished to convey into her song, singing with all her soul, hoping that he would understand. That one day, he could forgive her. But it was her fate to die here, alone.

_I’m glad I got to see you again, one last time._

_I love you._

_Goodbye._

* * *

How had he still been too late? She had been in his arms just moments ago, warm and real and there in front of his eyes. Now - Now she was - 

Lloyd cradled Colette's unmoving form, one hand grasping hers. He gently wiped away the blood on the corner of her mouth with a shaking finger, his whole body trembling. She had always been smaller than him, but now, unmoving and cold in his arms, she seemed so incredibly tiny. She still had a serene smile on her face and her hair, long and uncut, spread out across the floor. 

Lloyd buried his face in her golden hair, sobbing. If he had been just a little faster, would he have been able to convince her? But he had failed, and there was no re-do. And if he had failed to save her, then what was the point of everything he had done? It had always, _always_ been for her. 

“You _idiot_. I was right here. We made a promise, didn’t we? So why? Why did you still sacrifice yourself?” 

He knew why. Because she was too kind to even consider taking away other’s happiness. Because she would always consider others more important than her own life. But there was nothing more precious to Lloyd than her. Because he loved her, with all of his soul. 

Lloyd kissed her forehead, smoothing away the bangs from her eyes. “You had a right to live too. All of us do, no matter what blood flows in our veins. Isn't that the world you'd like to see too? So _please_. Please don’t be gone.”

But Colette’s blue eyes do not open again, and he can only continue to choke on his grief and desperation. 

There was nothing he could do but sing, still grasping her hand tightly. The first song he had ever sung to her: a lullaby. One meant to heal. 

All he could do was pour his love into it.

* * *

Martel hobbled into the main cavern, supporting herself with her staff. She surveyed the scene of despair before her: Mithos, placated for now; and the boy, Lloyd, mourning over the girl. 

The girl’s name… had been Colette, wasn’t it? She could recall that much.

Colette wasn’t fully gone. Not yet. Her heart still beat, though extremely faintly. The song Lloyd quietly sang was a familiar lullaby, but his power was not strong enough. He would never be strong enough, not on his own. 

Martel _shouldn’t_ help them. But the two of them, still so young, had reminded her. What it meant to live, even in a world that condemned your existence. What it meant to continue, no matter what. What it meant to love, against all the odds.

And she had no desire to bury any more children. She should have buried her brother long ago. 

So Martel joined in, singing the same lullaby as she remembered better times.

* * *

All he knew was anger and rage. There was nothing else in this dark world. 

He heard the lullaby echo softly, almost as if from a distance. A small part of him broke free, wandering and trying to reach it. 

Faint memories. Of warmth, and someone’s smile.

* * *

Her fingers tightened over his, and Lloyd opened his eyes, heart leaping in joy. Could it be?

Colette smiled at him with teary blue eyes, her other hand reaching up for him. Lloyd grabbed it and pulled her ever closer, clinging to her in disbelief. He didn't understand how she could be alive, but he couldn’t care less. All Lloyd cared about was that he could see her smile, here and now.

“Don’t cry, dummy,” Colette whispered, wiping his tears away. "I'm here."

“Dummy?” Lloyd laughed hysterically, taking comfort in the sound of her voice and her solid form against his. “ _I’m_ the one who should be calling you that. You -”

Colette shook her head, her long hair tickling his arms. “I know. I was listening. Do you… really feel that way?” 

“I know it’s hard.” He had to get her to understand. Colette wasn't beholden to any duty. There was worth to her life as well, and she mattered to others. To him. “When everyone around you seems determined to hunt you down. When you’re told from birth that your only worth is as a sacrifice. When you think you’d be hurting so many by choosing to live your own life. But tell me, do you truly want to give up on freedom?”

“ _No,_ ” Colette cried, a deep-seated longing in her voice that tore at his heart. Even back then, she'd been so hesitant to let herself enjoy anything, even while looking on in envy. “I _don’t_. I want to see the sky again, I want to feel the grass under my feet again, I want - I want to be with you again! For however long I live! But I -” 

“It’s alright to be selfish for once in your life! You’ve suffered enough.” Lloyd clenched his fists, desperate for his message to get through. He could not fail again. “I’ll be here for you. Every step of the way. You won’t be alone. And we won’t be abandoning humanity. We’ll still be here to help them. Building their prosperity on our suffering… That isn’t happiness.” 

Lloyd cupped Colette's face and pressed his lips against hers; a kiss born of passion, hope and desperation, all at the same time. “ _Please_ ,” he breathed against her lips. He pulled away, awaiting her answer with trepidation. He couldn't force her to leave. She had to choose, for the first time, to live for herself. Colette's lips parted, preparing to shape her answer when the air was rent with a dragon’s scream. 

Lloyd’s gaze snapped to the hulking beast in the darkness that had awakened once again, snarling in anger. Desperation rose in him. He would not let Colette be taken again - 

It was Colette’s turn to place a finger on his lips, drawing his attention to the voice that now filled the cavern. It wasn’t Colette’s voice like he’d feared, singing a funeral song. It was another, commanding magic fearsome enough to make the walls shake. 

Martel strode fearlessly towards the dragon, head raised and singing proudly. Not a sealing song, no - 

Colette’s voice, weak but still beautiful to Lloyd’s ears, rang out as well. And at that moment, Lloyd knew what he had to do. 

The combined magic of a dragon and two Dragon-bloods, singing with all of their heart and connecting the elements of dark and light… Would that finally be enough? Enough to end this tragedy that had stretched on for millennia, harming an untold number of innocents?

And so Lloyd sang: for himself; for Colette; for all the innocent Dragon-bloods; for the Dragon before him now, tormented by insanity and begging to be free.

* * *

Martel sank to her knees by her little brother’s prone body, utterly drained. She gently laid Mithos’ head on her lap, smoothing his hair away from his eyes. If she closed her eyes now, she could even pretend that Mithos was just taking a nap. That they were home, in the meadow of wildflowers, listening to Mother sing. 

“Martel?” Her little brother’s frightened blue eyes peered up at her as he reached blindly for her. “I - I don’t remember. We won, but -”

 _But humanity betrayed us. Trapped us in chains and took away everything I ever loved. Drove you to madness and left me here for 3000 years to protect you, even as I mourned you._

Martel doesn’t say any of that. Instead, she ruffled Mithos’ hair in the manner she knew he despised. “It doesn’t matter. None of that matters. We’re going home, Mithos.” 

Martel was fading fast, returning to the essence of the world as all dragons did when they died. So was Mithos. Perhaps that was why she had deluded herself into doing nothing. Because she had known that her brother could no longer survive, and she hadn't been willing to condemn him.

It would have been better if Dragons had never come into contact with humanity; if the rift between their worlds had never opened. In their foolishness, how many had been hurt? But it didn’t matter anymore. She and Mithos, the final two dragons in this world, would soon be gone. 

Humanity would be able to fend for itself, just as it should have been from the start. Only then could their true strength shine.

“Will we -” Mithos coughed, curling up on himself further. “Will we see Mother again?” 

“Yes. We will, little brother.” Martel stroked his hair, hoping to soothe him. "I know... I know that she'll be happy to see the two of us again."

Martel closed her eyes, smiling as the darkness claimed her, wondering if she could hear the world’s song, echoing around them. Finally, she was free.

* * *

Later, the memory of leaving the cave was a blur. All Colette could remember was stumbling over stray stones with her bare feet and Lloyd's arm securely wrapped around her waist, preventing her from falling in her still weak state. Even while exhausted and still hurting, she had never felt safer.

Outside of the cave, Colette got to meet Lloyd’s ragtag group of companions for the first time. They were certainly a strange bunch, but she could tell they were all good people. They had been brought together by their shared pain, but perhaps hope could drive them now. 

Afterwards, they left her and Lloyd alone. Colette found herself sitting alone on a rock, shawl wrapped around her shoulders, simply staring at the sky. It hadn’t quite sunk in yet. That she was still alive, and that she would keep on living. 

It made everything all the more beautiful. The fresh air she breathed in, nothing like the damp, stale air in the cavern; the soft grass below her feet, nothing like the hard stone that she had known for years; the cries of the birds that flew overhead, in contrast to the silence that had been her companion for so long. All things she thought she would never experience again, and yet would now continue to experience. It was surreal. 

“Hey,” Lloyd appeared at the periphery of her vision, holding two steaming cups. “You alright?” 

Colette scooted over to give Lloyd some space to sit, accepting the warm cup with gratitude. She gingerly took a sip, letting the hot coffee chase away the lingering cold. Lloyd still remembered what her favorite drink was, and that made her stupidly happy. “I’m fine. It’s just... a lot to take in.” 

Lloyd sat down next to her, threading their fingers together. “The world is beautiful, isn’t it? Even without a dragon’s magic.”

“It is,” Colette whispered. “What now, though? The Empire won’t stop coming after you. People… People can do terrible things when they’re scared. And they’ll know something’s wrong.” 

“All we can do is help them to the best of our ability while protecting our kind,” Lloyd answered. “Change takes time. And you’re right, they’ll be scared. But that’s all we can do. After all, all anyone can do is live life to their very best.”

“And one day, there’ll be no more magic,” Colette mused. “Because there are no more dragons. But maybe that’ll be better for everyone, for the memory of our kind to completely fade away.” 

Then no one would be feared for power they hadn’t asked to have. Colette had no illusions that things would be perfect. But perhaps, they could be better.

“Maybe,” Lloyd agreed. He pointed towards the horizon, where the sun had just begun to peek out. “The sun’s rising.”

The sight of the sun drove Colette to tears again. Both because it was painfully bright, and because she had not seen the sun in such a long time. It was reminiscent of the first time she had ever been out of the facility, cradled in her Mother’s arms. The sky, painted in shades of red and orange, was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. She knew she would remember it for the rest of her life. 

Colette leaned against Lloyd, closing her eyes. One day, she wished to live up to the hopes of those that were gone and those that would come after. But for now, she would simply enjoy his company.

* * *

“And then the heroes freed the dragon - oh, we’re here!”

“We are?” Emil forced his way through the mess of branches in front of him, following the sound of Marta’s voice. He emerged into a clearing, waiting with bated breath to see the famous cave of legend that Marta would point out - 

Marta pointed to a tiny hole in a wall of rock that even a lizard would have trouble crawling through. “There it is!”

“That’s it?” Emil couldn’t help the disappointment he felt. The ancient legend of the dragon and the heroes who had freed it was one of his favourite stories. He had been looking forward to seeing the cave that the legend supposedly took place in from the moment he moved here. To see that it was a mere hole in the wall was a real let-down. 

“Oh, it used to be an actual cave, but there was a cave-in when Father was a child,” Marta replied, poking the rock wall. “No one can get in now.”

“I feel so cheated,” Emil muttered, sitting down on the grass. What else could he do? “You promised me a tour of the site of legend.”

“Does this not count as a tour, sour-sport?” Marta retorted, putting her arms on her waist. “It’s not my fault there was a cave-in!” 

“Can you at least tell me what was in the cave?” Emil grumbled. “You owe me that much.”

“Well…” Marta cocked her head, seeming to be deep in thought. “From what Father told me, there isn’t any giant carcass or anything, but there were structures that seemed to resemble graves. And carved on the wall…”

Marta grabbed a stick from the floor and knelt, beginning to sketch a symbol on the floor. Emil leaned forward eagerly, watching it take shape. 

“Isn’t that the symbol of the Church?” Emil asked, frowning as he considered Marta’s shaky lines. “I think…”

“It is! My drawing isn't _that_ terrible!” Marta protested, throwing the stick back down onto the ground. 

“But what significance does that have?”

Marta held up a finger, grinning smugly as she leaned closer to Emil. “You’ll see. In some versions of the legend, it’s said that the heroes founded the church to foster peace and acceptance. It makes sense that the church’s symbol would be found on the wall if this is true!” 

“Mother always said that it was all a load of bollocks,” Emil admitted. “That the symbol means nothing and is just something crazy people made up in the past.”

“Maybe! But wouldn’t it be cool if it was true?” 

“Yeah. But if it's true, then why did we give up eternal prosperity?” With eternal prosperity, all the horrors of the past wouldn’t have occurred. The famine, the war… The fire that had claimed his parent’s lives. Couldn’t those all have been avoided?

Marta frowned, looking up into the blue sky as she shielded her eyes against the sun. “Honestly, I don’t know. But maybe one day, even the two of us will be able to understand.”

“One day, huh…” Emil muttered. When would that day come? 

“Oh, crap! I need to go back now, Emil!” Marta cried, scrambling to her feet and brushing stray pieces of grass off her pants. “We had so much fun at the stream just now that I lost track of time. The position of the sun tells me that it’s nearly 3, and Mother will ground me if I’m not home by 4 again!” 

“Hey Marta, wait up!” Emil called after Marta as she disappeared into the undergrowth with alarming speed. “Don’t leave me behind!”

“Just follow my tracks, then!” Her voice faded into the distance as Emil cursed and got to his feet. He was fairly confident that he could make it back to the stream, but it would be annoying to traverse the forest alone. Better get going after Marta.

Emil paused, looking back at what used to be the entrance to the cave. It was probably just his imagination, but he thought he’d just heard something… 

It was probably just the wind. Every second he stayed here only increased the chances of getting lost. He needed to get going.

Emil ran back into the forest, not sparing a single glance back.

* * *

In the once again deserted clearing, a lone melody echoed, unheard.

**~fin~**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want more lore or fun facts, chapter 2 is just a lore dump that you can check out if you want to :) Do check out the songs themselves, they're amazing.
> 
> Otherwise, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! If I managed to express even a little of the emotions I always feel when listening to Synchronicity, then I'm happy :) There are a lot of places that I didn't expand on, so maybe I'll come back someday. But that's it for now.  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Umbry2000)  
> (Edit: The link was broken)


	2. Lore Dump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some fun facts and all the lore for this. It's not very formatted, so it is very much a mess. Some stuff might no longer be true considering I changed some plot points a lot of times.

First of all, I'm linking the songs again. Please give them some love, Synchronicity is one of my favourite Vocaloid song series! They're beautiful songs, so please give them a chance.  


  1. [Searching for You in the Sky](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQvXLTh093M)
  2. [Paradise of Light and Shadow](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh5LyOgS_0E)
  3. [Requiem of the Endless World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A83q5bQquJc)



Producer: [Hitoshizuku x Yama△](https://www.youtube.com/c/yamashizuku/featured)

And also, here's a matching Vocaloid list!  


  * Kaito: Zelos
  * Gakupo: Raine
  * Teto: Alicia
  * Meiko: Presea
  * Len: Lloyd
  * Rin: Colette
  * Luka: Kvar
  * Ruko: Pronyma
  * Haku: Genis (I guess)



Random Facts and Fun Stuff:  


  * The blue sky represents freedom, but it is also mentioned so much as a reference to Synchronicity 1
  * Overall the plot is pretty much one-to-one with Synchronicity apart from the ending, I just added more lore on parts that the web novel didn't expand upon
  * One thing I changed is the ending: I interpreted the original to involve the Kagamine twins dying to seal the Dragon forever, but that didn't quite fit what I was doing here. So I changed it.
  * Another thing I changed was removing the betrayal entirely. In the original Kaito betrays the group (I don't know why), which is one of the reasons I chose Zelos for that role. But the focus wasn't really on him so I just didn't write it in.
  * I originally wanted to do 3-year time-skips to be funny by referencing the 3-year gap between Synchronicity 2 and Synchronicity 3 that I know drove a lot of fans insane. It didn’t work out.
  * Everyone’s age relative to each other is absolutely wack. I didn’t try to keep it the same as Symphonia and you shouldn’t try working it out. I mostly just went with who I thought would fit roles best.
  * Considering Colette was stuck in a cave for 4 years and she couldn’t cut her hair, how long would it have been by the end?
  * You could consider this a reverse AU as well.
  * If you’re interested in the order: Alicia was before Seles, Seles was before Genis and Genis was before Colette (Yes I killed a lot of characters I’m sorry)
  * Seles is a quarter-dragon because Zelos’ family situation is about the same. Both Genis and Raine are quarter-dragons. Alicia is… a strange case
  * I can see Sheena being Zelos’ childhood friend, but I, unfortunately, couldn’t find a spot for her in the actual story.
  * The village is emulating the Nation of Sin from Crestoria. Yep.
  * Don’t you think the Synchronicity storyline fits really well? I love Synchronicity.
  * The Dragons' homeworld is named Drakengard after the Yoko Taro series of games that featured giant dragons and a lot of swearing
  * There are multiple references to events in Symphonia :p can you spot all of them?



Lore dump:  


  * Two races: Dragons and humans, who used to live in separate worlds that collided someday through a rift in dimensions
  * The dragons, over time, believed themselves to be descended from Gods. The dragons actually mostly take on their humanoid form (interesting, don’t you think?). Unless they’re flying, of course. As mentioned in the fic itself, they can’t take on their beast form outside of their homeworld for too long without getting overwhelmed. Because of raw power.
  * Dragons in their humanoid forms have pointed ears, slitted eyes and scales near the eyes, as well as fangs (directly inspired by [Miku’s design from Synchronicity](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vocaloid/images/d/df/Synchronicity_Miku_-_Concept_Art.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20110807201606)). Their beast form is basically a stereotypical dragon but with horns.
  * They also live for tens of thousands of years. Martel is 2000 in the past and 5000 in the present.
  * There are only two elements to magic: Light and Dark. Only dragons could wield magic (i.e. humans couldn’t), and they have both in equal measure. The strength of their magic itself tends to depend on what family they come from.
  * Dragons can also form bonds which can never be broken until one side dies, which appears as a symbol over their heart (they’re unique to every person because I am trash for this kind of trope but I did not have the brainpower to come up with what they looked like :/). Parents usually form one with their children at birth, but for the Yggdrasil siblings, only their mother bothered. So both of them have a single faded out one since their mother is dead. They have one with each other, which their mother helped them form when she was on her deathbed. Martel has one with Yuan, of course. The final one Martel has is with Kratos, which was the final one to break (but since Kratos is, as mentioned, only half-dragon, it’s one-sided)
  * Every 5000 years, the dragons would rain down lightning from Drakengard and basically reset humanity’s progress. They claim it is a mandate from the Gods that came before them, but hmm…
  * Because of this humanity has no hope of knowing the truth or to actually grow as a civilisation. While there are some legends about past events, overall there are no records.
  * Dragons sometimes descend upon the ground below, where humans worship them as “god”. Due to the potent magic dragons carry, they can choose to bring about prosperity whenever they descend. A dragon in its beast form will automatically bring about prosperity because it exudes magic to such a large degree.
  * Yuan is from a tribe of the Dragons who clearly believe differently, and are more for helping to guide humanity towards progress. Most of the dragons mostly ignore them, so they live in seclusion.
  * Half-dragons are very, very rare. Dragons themselves are already fairly infertile considering how long they can live, and most of the time half-dragons are simply stillborn because of how unstable the passed-on magic is.
  * Half-dragons will inherit only one of the elements. They have fangs too, and horns. Their eyes are normal and they don’t have scales
  * In the past, humanity treated half-dragons mostly as freaks, demons, etc. something to be experimented on, especially to somehow harness their magic.
  * Half-dragons themselves live from anywhere between 5000 to 8000 (Kratos is 3000 in present time, since about that much time has passed)
  * Quarter-dragons have magic, though it can vary from dormant to powerful. They don't have horns but do have sharper than normal teeth, so they tend to bite themselves a lot. Colette is an outlier for having such powerful magic as a quarter.
  * Song magic is ancient. Dragons can cast magic without singing, though healing magic is generally always done through singing. But the most powerful magic is done through singing, and if you aren’t careful you will destroy yourself by using too much magic. It’s why it’s so dangerous to do because it’s very easy to lose control. Whenever someone uses song magic, the equivalent symbol will appear (this is taken directly from Synchronicity).
  * As explained, the sealing songs used are equal parts light and dark. Since all of the half and quarter-dragons only inherit one element, they have to rely on their life force for the rest of it, so they die even faster. Light, especially, is a serious drain on your life force.
  * Alicia has just enough draconic blood to wield some magic, so she was just unlucky. Magic itself is only available to the most elite of royalty (the royal palace), and it basically comes from the blood they have from all of humanity’s previous experimentation on dragons, half-dragons, etc. To the rest of the common folk of the current time, they believe that the royalty can wield magic as they are descended from the gods or the dragons. However, this magic is “unnatural” and for those with enough dragon-blood to at least sense the magic when it is used, it’s super unnatural to them. Humans are also unable to use song magic.
  * After the war, humanity betrayed Martel’s group. The reason and the events that transpired have all been lost to time. Maybe it was a hunger for more power. Maybe it was fear or plain distrust.
  * In the current time, no one remembers the past. Not even the royal family. They celebrate the legend of the good dragons while condemning those with dragon-blood. Most people, even dragon-bloods, don’t know what they are captured to do. It’s just a lot of fear.
  * In recent years the royalty has been growing a bit desperate since they are running out of dragon-bloods who have strong enough magic to throw in the cave, and Kratos has been essentially hiding a lot of them. It’s why they even bothered taking Alicia.
  * The iron thing was just me thinking that half-dragons needed a weakness that pure dragons don’t. So it’s like how faeries are weak to iron!
  * I think Colette's design would be fairly similar to [Rin's design](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vocaloid/images/a/a4/Synchronicity_Rin_-_Concept_Art.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20110807200345), but with a red shawl and no ribbon on the hair.
  * I honestly don't know what Lloyd would be wearing cos I kinda suck at character design. Here's [Len's design](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vocaloid/images/1/17/Synchronicity_Len_-_Concept_Art.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/1000?cb=20110807200842) I guess.
  * The symbol that Emil and Marta talks about is this one:  
  
It's on Miku's design. (I tried drawing it and then gave up)



**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're free to use anything that you want :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Umbry2000)  
> (Edit: The link was broken)


End file.
